Clip for sheet material



Oct. 1, 1963 c. SPONSEL cu FOR SHEET MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1961 INVENTOR. (H/78455 SPO/VSAEL Oct. 1, 1963 c, SPQNSEL $105,278

CLIP FOR MATERIAL Filed Feb. 27, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR. (I /X2155 SPd/KS 1.

62 BYN 7- I 537-22 AWZQ Z Oct. 1, 1963 c. SPONSEL 3, 05, 73

CLIP FOR SHEET MATERIAL Filed Feb. 27, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet s Fig; 25 1 25-25 IN V EN TOR. fly/241 5 sPa/rszx sheet material in position.

3,105,278 Patented Oct I, frees 3,105,278 I 'CLIP FOR SHEET MATERIAL Charles Spouse], 408 Kelehe'rNWQ, Albuquerque, N. Mex.

" Filed Feb. 27,1961, Ser. No. 91,688

3 Ciaims. (Cl.'24'66) This invention relates to clips *for retaining sheet ma- 7 terial collected, and is'partioularly concerned with a paper clip. More particularly still, this invention relates to a paper clip having increased capacity over previous clips for receiving sheet material and having increased yieldability and improved gripping characteristics. Many types tion and this results in improper gripping of the paper sheets. Still further, the ends of the legs are sometimes modified so as to have sharp points thereon which tends to dig into the surface of the sheet material.

The present invention hasas an objective the provision of a paperclip whichavoids the drawbacks, above referred to, and which, in particular, will have greater capacity and greater sheet gripping characteristics.

A Still another object of this invention is the provision of a resilient clip for sheet material wherein the clip is so formed that the natural resiliency of the material from which the clip is made is augmented by the particular formation of the clip.

' Still another object of this invention is the provision of a clip for sheet material in which the clip retains its resiliency for a long time thus permitting repetitive use thereof.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a paper clip which can readily be oriented into position :for use when it is picked up.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a paper clip in-which the extreme ends of the legs between which the sheets to be retained by the clip are received always engage 'the surfaces of the'sheets being retained bythe clip within the limit of capacity of the clip therebyimproving the gripping characteristics of the clip.

According to this invention, a clip, such as a paper clip, is formed from a single length or strip of resilient stock, usually round, which is bent in such a manner as to have a closed side and an open side. 'At the open side, the legs of the clip cross over each other and are so formed as to "have overlapping portions that will provide gripping ends on the'clip to engage the surfaces of the sheets being retained by the clip.

At the closed side of the clip, where the stock is c'ontinuous, a loop or convolution, or a combination of loops and convolutions is formed in the stock so as to impart a degree of resiliency to the clip so that it can be opened extremely wide to receive relatively large numbers of sheets while not loosing its gripping qualities, and so that the resiliency of'the clip will not be lost.

The nature of the present invention will be better understood and the foregoing objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following *description taken in connection one clip according United States Patent OfiEice inserted in the clip and the clip FIGURE 4 is a view drawn at greatly enlarged scale showing the end of one oft-he legs of the clip;.,

FIGURE 5 is a View looking in at the side of 4 as indicated by arrow 5 ion FIGURE 4; a

FIGURE 6 is a view-showing the clip onfIGURE -1 sprung open and about to receive a pack of sheets to be retained thereby; i I p FIGURE 7' is a view which shows the pack ofslieets closed into gripping [rela- FIGURE tion with the sheets; i I p FIGURE 8 is a view like FIGUREVI but showsa'dicf- 'ferent' type of loop formed in the open side of the' clip;

FIGURE 9 is a side view of the 'olip of FIGURE 8 showing a pack of sheet-sretainedthereby; p p FIGURE 10 is a view looking'downon top o fgth e clip of FIGURE 8 as indicated by arrow lll on FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 1 l is a sectional view indicated'by line 11- -11 onFTIGURE 8; r ,7

FIGURE 12 is a View looking in at the bottordof FIG- URE 9 as indicated byarrow llthereon; a

FIGURE 13 is a plan viewof theclip similar to 'that of FIGURES land 8 butshowing a somewhat different construction thereof;

" this invention with FIGURE 14 is a side view of the clip with attacker sheets gripped therein; V v g FIGURE 15 is a view looking down on top of 'the'clip as indicated by anrow 15 on FIGURE 13; r v v p 7 FIGURE '16 is a'plan sectional view indicated by line I 1616 on FIGURE 13; 1

FIGURE 17 is a view kinuprrfmBangui thejclip with a pack of paper therein as indicated by arrow 17 on FIGURE 14;

FIGURE "18 is a' plan view showing a clip aocqrding'to a different formation at the closed side thereof and a somewhat different forr'iiation'at the'ends of the legs; 4 A a FIGURE 19 is a side view oithe olip o f FIGURE 18 with a packor' sheets therein; V M p FIGURE 20 is a view looking down 'on top' of the clip as indicated by arrow 20 on FIGURE 18; V p n p FIGURE 21 is a' plan View indicatedby line 21 21 on R FIGURE 22 is a' view looking up from beneath the clip when it has a stack o f sheets retained therein as indicatedby arrow22'on FIGURE 19; I V p k V V V 'FIGURE 23 is a viewof still another form of clip according to this'in'ventio'n; H

FIGURE 24 is a side'view of the (flip of FIGURE 23 with a stack of 'sheets the rein; a I p FIGURE 25 is a plan seasonal view indicated by line -'25 -25 on FIGURE 23;

clip with a stack of sheets therein and is indicated by arr'ow'26 'on FIGURE 24;

FIGURE 27 is a plan viewer still another type of clip according to this invention; A I,

FIGURE 28 is a side view of the clip 'of FIGURE 27 with a stack 'of'sheetsretaine'd therein; v I I FIGURE 29 is 'a plan sectional view'on line 29 29 of FIGURE27;

FIGURE 30is a view lookingup' fr'om beneath'the clip with a stack ofsheets therein and'is indicated by arrow '39 on FIGURE 28; I H

FIGURE 31 is a view of Southerner type of clip according to this invention; FIGURE 32 is 'a side view of the clip'of FIGURE 31 showing a'st'ack ofsheetstherein; n g U FIGURE 33 is anew looking downon top of the clip as indicated by'arrow 33 on FIGURE 31;. g

FIGURE 34 is a plan sectional view indicated byline 34-64- On FIGURE 31;

FIGURE 35 is a bottom view of the clip with a stack FIGURE 39 is a view of the end of the leg looking up I from beneath FIGURE 38.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, the clip of FIGURES 1 through 7 comprises a length, generally indicated at 10, of resilient stock which is formed into a large loop 11 so that the legs 12 and 14 of the resilient stock lap over each other, This thus forms a relatively large or major loop portion which is closed at the top and which is open at the bottom to the extent that the legs 12 and 14- can be pressed apart for the insertion of sheets into the clip.

According to this invention, the closed side of the clip, i.e., the side opposite the overlapping legs 12 and 14, has included therein a portion 18 which is preferably relatively short in the radial direction, although, it may extend a substantial distance circumferentially about loop 11. This portion 18 is directly opposite the ends of the legs 12 and 14 of the clip and imparts resiliency to the legs over a wide range of movement thereof. The clip nevertheless is substantially fiat, as will be seen in FIG- URES 2 and 3, and is substantially free of projections which would snag on other clips when they are packaged in a box or the like.

The portion 18, in FIGURES 1 through 7, is in the form of an auxiliary or minor loop but may be, as will be seen hereinafter, a wave formation or a series thereof, or a combination of loop and convolution designed so as to impart a pronounced wide range spring characteristic to the closed side of the major loop of the clip. As will be seen in FIGURES 3 through 7, the end portions of the legs are each formed with offset parts 2%, which ofiset parts are in overlapping pressure engagement with each other, on account of the resiliency of the clip, and which offset parts terminate in the angularly directed extreme end portions 22 which project from the offset parts a distance greater than the said ofiset parts are offset from the stock of the major loop 11 of the paper clip. The ends 22 preferably have their faces cut off so as to be parallel to each other. Numeral 23 identifies these faces.

As will be seen in FIGURES 6 and 7, the legs of the clip canbe sprung apart to receive a sheet, or stack of sheets 24, which, when inserted in the clip, appear as indicated in FIGURE 7.' It will be noted that the stack of sheets, although of substantial thickness, is still engaged by the extreme end portions 22- of the legs of the clip and that the clip is not sprung beyond the limit of its resiliencyand that, therefore, when the stack of sheets is removed, the clip will return to its original condition and again be ready for use. It will also be noted that the faces 23 at the ends of the legs bear fiat against the stack so that no marring .of the outside surfaces of the stack occur.

It will be appreciated that, although the clip can receive and hold thick stacks of sheets, the offset overlapping ends of the legs will also grip and hold extremely thin and flexible stacks without slippage. With thin stacks, of course, the stack would bend to conform to the shape of the clip to a greater degree than would a thick stack and this would still further augment the gripping action of the clip.

FIGURES 8 through 12 show another form of the paper clip according to the present invention wherein the length of stock making up the paper clip is formed so as to have a loop 30 of substantial size formed at the closed side of the clip. The legs 32 and 34 of the clip are in overlapping relation as in the case of the clip of 4 FIGURES 1 through 7 and have the offset portions 35 and 38 at the ends thereof corresponding to those described in connection with the first named modification.

The large loop 3% does not interfere with the insertion of sheets in the clip, as will be seen in FIGURE 9, because the sheets to be retained by the clip can easily slide into the clip to one side of loop 31).

FIGURES 13 through 17 show another form of the clip in which the loop portion 40 at the closed side of the clip has the general configuration of a quadrilateral while the leg portions 42 and 44- extend angularly in straight lines from opposite ends of loop 4% into overlapping relation while having the oifset portions 46 and 4'8 formed on the end portions thereof.

Similarly, as with the modifications of FIGURES 8 through 12, the loop 4% does not interfere with the insertion of sheets into the clip.

FIGURES 18 through 22 show still another form of the clip in which the loop portion 50 at the closed side of the clip comprises a laterally extending relatively flat loop with one reach of the stock at one side of the loop having a U-shaped portion 52 formed therein for the purpose of adding resilience to the clip. The legs 54 and 56 of the clip extend at an angle from opposite ends of loop 5% and near their outer ends are bent as at 58 and as so that the end parts are in overlapping relation.

The offset portions in the extreme outer parts of legs 54 and 56, in this modification, comprise the bent over parts 62 and 64 so that only one bend is required in the stock to form the overlapping end portions. These end portions have the flat feet 66 and 6-8 which are parallel with each other and which provide the improved gripping action that has been referred to previously.

FIGURES 23 through26 show another form of the clip similar to the one illustrated in FIGURES 18 through 22, except that at the closed side of the loop of FIGURE 23, there is a series of convolutions generally indicated at 70 which supply the added material by means of which the clip has a high degree of resiliency imparted thereto. The legs 72 and 74 of the clip of this modification extend into overlapping relation and have their extreme end parts 76 and 78 formed so as to be substantially parallel with each other and with the bent down portions Sit and 82 which overlap the same as the ends of the legs in the FIGURES 18 through 22 modification.

In FIGURES 27 through 30, there is illustrated a clip arrangement in which only a single U-shaped portion is formed at the closed side of the clip for imparting added resilience thereto. The legs 92 and 94 of this clip are preferably bowed outwardly somewhat as at 96 and 98 thereby permitting a large stack of paper or like sheets to be inserted in the clip while the end portions 100 and 102 of the clip will still engage the opposite faces of the stack of sheets with the fiat feet at the ends of the legs as has been described hereinbefore.

In the final modification of FIGURES 31 through 35, the clip has a series of small loops or convolutions 119 formed at the closed side thereof for imparting resilience to the clip. The legs 112 and 114 of the clip extend in overlapping relation to each other and have the bent down end portions 116 and 118 similar to the modifications of FIGURES 18, 23, and 27. The legs extend toward each other from the bend points 120 at opposite sides of the closed side of the clip and then angle more sharply toward each other at bend points 122 so as to cross each other at an angle approaching 90.

A slightly modified form of the clip illustrated in FIG- URE 31 is shown in FIGURES 36 through 38. In these figures the clip comprises the major loop at With the plurality of minor loops 152 at the closed side thereof but the difference between the clip of FIGURE 36 and that of FIGURE 31 is that the legs are at less of an angle to each other in the FIGURE 36 arrangement. This permits the clips to be bent sharply at the points 154 thereon so that the terminal portions 156 of the legs can cross over each other at a pronounced angle. The feet of the legs are then bent over relatively sharply as indicated at 158 in FIGURE 38.

The advantage of the clip arrangement of FIGURES 36 through 39 is that when the clip is moved sidewise on clipped papers, the longer legs tend to reduce the diagonal position of the clip. Further, as mentioned above, the legs allow, since they are at less of an angle to each other than the legs of the FIGURE 31 modification, a wider angle bend at the point 154.

This wider angle bend permits the leg sections 156 to cross over each other at a wider angle and this allows the clip feet to press a relatively flexible or thin stack of papers closer to the leg sections thereby better deflecting extra papers that might be passed across the clipped stack outside the clip feet. Still further, the feet will not snag on a crease in the paper shoved toward the outside of the clip and the clip feet will slide smoothly on any grade paper.

In every case of the clips illustrated in this applica tion, the clip is capable of holding single highly flexible thin sheets or relatively thick stacks without there being slippage in either case. Each clip is characterized in having the extra amount of stock in the closed side of the clip which imparts added resilience to the clip thereby adding usefirl life to the clip as Well as providing the necessary resilience for properly gripping both thin and thick stacks of sheets.

Each clip is characterized in having the extreme tips of the legs bent over into overlapping relation and with the extreme end parts of the legs adjacent the feet portions thereof inclined toward the surface being engaged and having flat feet to engage the surface. This provides great gripping power and, at the same time, prevents extraneous sheets from accidently slipping beneath the clip as often occurs with conventional paper clips.

It is required to open the clip according to the present invention and insert the sheets therein and then to release the clip to properly attach the clip to the sheets and as the clip is so attached, it is substantially impossible for an extra sheet to be slipped beneath the clip by accident.

Where the sheet material is stiff enough, the edge thereof can be inserted between the space projecting end portions beyond the cross over point thereof and the sheet then pushed toward the clip and the clip will slide over the sheet material without being opened and the same gripping characteristics, as have been referred to, will be had. As mentioned, this manner of placing the clip on the sheets is satisfactory where the sheets are stifi enough to permit this and where the flat relatively sharp edged foot portions of the clip will not cause harmful scratching of the sunface of the sheets.

With gloss photographs, care would have to be exercised to prevent the foot on the picture side of the photograph from scratching the surface thereof if the clip were placed on the picture without first being sprung open.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to difierent usages and conditions; and, accordingly, it is desired to com prehend such modifications within this invention as may fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clip for holding sheet material in packs of substantial thickness consisting of an elongated piece of resilient material formed into a large and substantially flat loop with the two end portions of the piece overlapping and crossing each other while the middle portion of the loop opposite the overlapped ends is formed into a plurality of small bends lying approximately in the plane of the large loop and confined to the upper half of the loop, the two end portions being offset in opposite directions away from each other, and the free ends of the oifset portions extending away from each other rectilinearly from opposite sides of the plane of the large loop and at acute angles to such plane.

2. The clip of claim 1 in which the middle portion of the loop includes a smaller loop lying approximately in the plane of the large loop.

3. The clip of claim 1 in which the end faces of the free ends lie in planes approximately parallel to the plane of the large loop.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 50,283 Feet Feb. 6, 1917 580,991 Reeve Apr. 20, 1897 749,429 Dusinberre Jan. 12, 1904 807,151 Calder Dec. 12, 1905 984,060 Allen Feb. 14, 1911 1,200,155 Wright Oct. 3, 1916 1,227,193 Peet May 22, 1917 1,451,777 .Tobst Apr. 17, 1923 1,666,514 Sigler Apr. 17, 1928 1,848,999 Durham Mar. 8, 1932 2,957,218 Sponsel Oct. 25, 1960 

1. A CLIP FOR HOLDING SHEET MATERIAL IN PACKS OF SUBSTANTIAL THICKNESS CONSISTING OF AN ELONGATED PIECE OF RESILIENT MATERIAL FORMED INTO A LARGE AND SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT LOOP WITH THE TWO END PORTIONS OF THE PIECE OVERLAPPING AND CROSSING EACH OTHER WHILE THE MIDDLE PORTION OF THE LOOP OPPOSITE THE OVERLAPPED ENDS IS FORMED INTO A PLURALITY OF SMALL BENDS LYING APPROXIMATELY IN THE PLANE OF THE LARGE LOOP AND CONFINED TO THE UPPER HALF OF THE LOOP, THE TWO END PORTIONS BEING OFFSET IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, AND THE FREE ENDS OF THE OFFSET PORTIONS EXTENDING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER RECTILINEARLY FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PLANE OF THE LARGE LOOP AND AT ACUTE ANGLES TO SUCH PLANE. 